Storage area network administration
View Patent ↗A storage area network management and configuration system is provided. The system includes an enterprise network that has a plurality of computer systems, and some of the plurality of computer systems include a server component, some include a client component, and some include both the client component and the server component. The system also includes a storage enclosure that is connected to a computer system having at least the server component. A graphical user interface window is provided by the client component, and the graphical user interface provides a graphical representation and icon links to configuration tools for controlling the drives and arrays of the storage enclosure. In one aspect, the enterprise network can include a plurality of storage enclosures that are connected to selected computer systems that are part of the enterprise network and that have the server component. Through the configuration tools, any one of the drives in the storage enclosures can be configured into a particular RAID-based array, monitored for failures, and modified to meet different storage needs. The modification can, in one aspect, be performed by simply dragging configuration template icons over selected hardware storage devices.
1. A storage area network management and configuration system, comprising:
an enterprise network including a plurality of computer systems, the plurality of computer systems including server computer systems and client computer systems, wherein the server computer systems include a server component and the client computer systems include a client component;
a storage enclosure connected to a server computer system having the server component, the storage enclosure having a RAID array of disks; and
a graphical user interface provided by the client component at a client computer system, the graphical user interface being defined to enable a user to physically build and modify the RAID array of disks of the storage enclosure connected to the server computer system from the client computer system without requiring the user to locally interact with the server computer system.
2. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
an array modifier tool configured to allow online modification of a capacity and cache parameters of a disk array.
3. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
an enterprise monitor tool configured to provide a window wherein monitoring settings can be set.
4. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 3 , wherein the monitoring settings includes,
a failure indicator; and
a disk capacity indicator.
5. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 4 , wherein the monitoring settings further include,
a temperature indicator for the storage enclosure;
a battery health indicator; and
a power supply health indicator.
6. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 3 , further comprising:
an enterprise monitor window for providing a quick view of selected storage enclosure parameters.
7. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
an event notifier configured to provide customizable failure and status notifications associated with storage enclosures within the enterprise network.
8. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 7 , wherein the customizable failure and status notifications include,
setting user notification profiles, the profiles include communication information.
9. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the communication information includes e-mail information and pager information.
10. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
an enterprise icon that when selected allows viewing of the enterprise network that includes the plurality of computer systems and associated storage enclosures that are connected to server computer systems having the server component.
11. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the viewing of the enterprise network can be of physical devices or logical devices, and the physical devices and the logical devices can be displayed in one of a tree view and a quick view.
12. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 11 , further comprising:
a graphical failure representation provided for selected drives of the storage enclosure, the graphical failure representation being configured to be displayed on a failed drive when the failed drive is in a viewable setting and on the storage enclosure when the failed drive is not in the viewable setting.
13. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the client component provides a user administrator the management and configuration control to the storage enclosure of the enterprise network.
14. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the enterprise network can include a plurality of storage enclosures that are connected to selected computer systems that are part of the enterprise network and that have the server component.
15. A storage area network management and configuration system, comprising:
an enterprise network including a plurality of computer systems, the plurality of computer systems including server computer systems and client computer systems, wherein the server computer systems include a server component and the client computer systems include a client component;
a storage enclosure connected to a server computer system having the server component; and
a graphical user interface provided by the client component at a client computer system, the graphical user interface being defined to provide functional tools to enable a user of the client computer system to physically build a RAID array of disks either from scratch or through application of a RAID building template without requiring the user to locally interact with the server computer system.
16. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the functional tool to enable the user of the client computer system to build the RAID array of disks through application of a RAID building template, comprises:
a first container defined to enable selection of disks to be used in building the RAID array of disks, wherein the disks reside within a storage enclosure present within the enterprise network;
a second container defined to enable selection of the RAID building template that contains a RAID configuration scheme that is optimally selected for a particular storage application; and
code for dragging the selected RAID building template, that is in the form of an icon, over the selected disks or dragging the selected disks over the selected RAID building template, the dragging is configured to automatically apply the RAID configuration scheme.
17. A storage area network management and configuration system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the RAID configuration scheme includes,
a RAID level;
a number of drives in the selected hardware;
a number of spare drives;
a stripe size; and
an array address.